1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a method for shredding food waste, and more particularly to a device and a method for shredding food waste in which food waste is conveyed into a storage tank using a difference in air pressure between an inlet and the storage tank.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional food waste shredding devices, a feeding-in piston 15 is disposed inside a taking-in portion 4, as shown in FIG. 8.
Food waste 16 introduced into an inlet 1 firstly passes, as shown in FIG. 9, between the feeding-in piston 15 and a feeding-in valve 14. Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the feeding-in valve 14 is opened and the food waste 16 is moved along by a fixed distance A inside the taking-in portion 4 by the feeding-in piston 15.
Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the feeding-in valve 14 is closed and then food waste 17 which has been introduced from the inlet 1 passes between the feeding in piston 15 and the feeding-in valve 14. Then, the food waste 17 is moved along by a fixed distance A in the same way as the previous food waste 16.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 12, the food waste 17 pushes the food waste 16 into the taking-in portion 4 approximately by the distance A. By repeating these steps, the food waste present in the taking-in portion 4 is conveyed to a storage tank 2 by being pushed along by the food waste introduced from the inlet 1, as shown in FIG. 13.
In this way, in the conventional method, the food waste fed into the inlet was conveyed to the storage tank successively by being pushed along, with the result that it took some time for the food waste to be fed into the storage tank. Because of this, there were problems in that unpleasant smells produced by the food waste present inside the inlet and taking-in portion was able to percolate through into the surroundings of the inlet and the positioning of the inlet was restricted.
In addition, there was the possible sanitary problems posed by food waste which began to decompose inside the taking-in portion when food waste had not been introduced into the inlet for a prolonged period. This problem of food waste decomposing inside the taking-in portion is reduced if the interior of the taking-in portion is. dried but in that case there is the problem that the drying of the food waste inside the taking-in portion causes it become stuck and block the taking-in portion.
Because such problems as the decomposition and drying of the food waste occur more easily the greater the distance between the inlet and the storage tank, these problems impose restriction to the length of the taking-in portion together with the problem of the friction between the food waste and the interior wall of the taking-in portion.
Furthermore, as a result of food waste being pushed into the storage tank, there were problems in that the sealing material between the feeding-in piston and the taking-in portion was subjected to abrasion, and water contained in the food waste introduced into the taking-in portion penetrated between the sealing material and the side wall of the taking-in portion, so that it became difficult to convey into the storage tank the water present in the taking-in portion. This has made it necessary to perform maintenance work on the feeding-in piston.
In view of the problems described above, the object of the present invention is to propose a food waste shredding device in which it is possible to prevent the unpleasant smells produced by the food waste present inside the inlet and the taking-in portion from hanging in the surroundings of the inlet and in which the length of the taking-in portion is freely adjustable.
In order to overcome the abovementioned problems, the food waste shredding device according to the present invention, which is provided with an inlet into which food waste is fed, a cutter which shreds the food waste, a storage tank which stores the shredded food waste and an outlet which discharges food waste, comprises a taking-in portion which connects the inlet and the storage tank and a discharge portion which connects the storage tank and the outlet and is provided with an evacuator device which evacuates the interior of the taking-in portion and the interior of the storage tank.
In addition, the method of shredding food waste according to the present invention comprises a shutting-off step which shuts off the taking-in portion using the taking-in portion shut-off valve, an evacuation step which evacuates the storage tank and the taking-in portion between the taking-in portion shut-off valve and the storage tank after the shutting-off step after the shutting-off step, and a step in which the shut-off valve is opened after the evacuation step.
Then, in the present invention, the food waste is conveyed from the inlet to the storage tank using a difference in air pressure between the inlet and the storage tank.
For this reason, the food waste is conveyed from the inlet to the storage tank in one go, and even if the food waste is not introduced into the inlet for a prolonged period, the food waste does not remain inside the taking-in portion. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the problems of the decomposition of the food waste inside the inlet and the blocking of the taking-in portion as a result of dried food waste sticking to the interior walls of the taking-in portion. In addition, the distance between the inlet and the storage tank can be freely adjusted.
Furthermore, since the air surrounding the inlet is also sucked into the storage tank, it is possible to prevent the problem of the smell of the food waste in the surroundings of the inlet.
In addition, in the present invention, it becomes possible to reduce the frequency of maintenance work that is required due to abrasion of the sealing material between the feeding-in piston and the taking-in portion and it becomes possible to convey even liquid food waste from the inlet to the storage tank without any problems whatsoever.
In addition, by managing signals from a detection sensor and state sensors at a control center it. is possible to organize the circulation of collection vehicle efficiently. Further, it is possible to respond quickly to troubles of the food waste shredding device.